A New Beginning
by KLHF23
Summary: Leaving River Heights behind, Nancy Drew is ready for a new beginning.
1. Prologue

24-year-old Nancy Drew was sitting on the floor of the living room amidst boxes and packing materials. _"This is the right thing to do," _she tried to convince herself_. "What I need is a fresh start."_

"It's open!" Nancy shouted after hearing a familiar knock on the door.

"You should really lock your door, Drew. You never know who might come waltzing in."

Nancy's head snapped up. "Frank! And Joe! I thought you were Bess!" she exclaimed as she got up to greet the brothers. Frank and Joe Hardy were two of her oldest friends, but she had not seen them in months. Not since the last case they all worked together. In fact, the last case she had worked at all.

"It's good to see you, Drew," Frank murmured as he pulled her in for a hug. "It has been too long."

"_Yes, it has"_ she thought as she returned the hug. She felt a small rush as they drew close. _"Get it together, Drew. He has a girlfriend. You remember Callie."_

"Hey, what about me?" Joe pushed in for his own hug. It was then he noticed the state of the room. "Um, going somewhere, Nance?"

"Yes, actually," she replied. "I'm moving out."

"We can see that. Is something wrong, Nancy? Where are you planning to go?" Frank watched her cautiously. He knew Nancy would never just leave her Dad and their beloved housekeeper, Hannah, without a good reason.

"I…I don't know," she admitted without looking him in the eye. Gone now was the earlier contentment she felt at Frank's closeness. She sat down on the couch and sighed. "I'm not sure about anything anymore."

"Maybe you should start at the beginning," Frank said as he sat down beside her.

Joe stretched out on the floor using a roll of bubble wrap as a pillow. "Yes, the beginning. Make it quick though, I'm starving."

"JOE!" Frank glared at his younger brother. "It's okay, it's okay." Nancy interrupted before they really started bickering. "Bess and George are actually on their way with pizza. And I'm fine. Really. It just hasn't been the best month."

"Yes!" Joe grinned at his brother. "See? There's always time for food."

Frank rolled his eyes and turned back to Nancy. "Sorry, Nan. I can't take him anywhere. Now, what's going on?"

"Well," she started unsure of how to continue. "Do you remember when I came up and helped you with that identity theft case several months ago?"

"Of course," Joe replied. "It was _supposed_ to be your week off, but you just couldn't resist the Hardy charm."

"Or a good mystery," Frank interjected.

Nancy smiled. She had been on vacation from her job at the River Heights Police Department, but couldn't help herself when she heard about the Hardys new case. "Well, yes and yes, but not everyone was thrilled with that turn of events.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Dad was glad to have your help," Joe smirked. Fenton Hardy founded the private investigating firm where he and his sons worked in Bayport, New York. "I'm guessing though that you mean Ned?"

Nancy grimaced upon hearing his name. Ned, her first love. The one she had always assumed she would marry. The one who hated her chosen career path and never ceased in reminding her. "Yes, Ned," she sighed. "He was furious that I would spend my vacation days solving mysteries with the Hardy Boys."

Frank looked incredulous. "But it was his fault!" he practically shouted. "He was the one that left on a business trip. Were you supposed to spend your time off just sitting home alone?"

"Apparently so. When I got back, he apologized and told me he would try to be more understanding, but it didn't last. He still resented the long hours and dangerous situations. So in typical Ned fashion, he proposed."

This revelation was enough to catch even Joe's attention. "WHAT?" the brothers exclaimed in unison.

"He proposed," Nancy said calmly. "And suggested that if we were married I could quit my job on the force and get a more _appropriate_ job for the wife of a college professor."

Frank whistled. "Oh boy, I'm guessing that didn't go over too well."

"Naturally," muttered Nancy. "We broke up, he moved on- rather quickly I might add- and that was that. I was upset at first, but I knew it was for the best."

"So why move now?" Joe asked as he moved from the floor to the recliner in the corner.

"Well, my Dad is always traveling for work. Hannah has been spending more and more time in Chicago taking care of her elderly aunt. Bess is getting married soon and George is starting a new job out of town. I quit my job. There doesn't seem to be that much here for me anymore."

For the second time in as many minutes Frank and Joe looked shocked. "You quit your job? You didn't think of maybe leading with that? What happened?"

Nancy sighed. "It just wasn't fun anymore. All the bureaucracy and red tape you have to deal with as a cop was taking away the thrill of solving the mystery. It isn't for me."

"I can see that," Frank said reasonably. "So what's next?"

"I'm not sure yet," Nancy replied. "I have some money saved and I was going to take some time to weigh my options. My lease is ending on this place so I was going to stay at my Dad's house until I figured things out."

"I know!" Joe exclaimed. "You can work with us. Dad would love to have you on board. He knows what a great detective you are."

"Hardy and Sons," Nancy frowned. "I'm not sure where I would fit in."

"You don't have to decide now," Frank added thoughtfully. "Why not come to Bayport? Mom would love to see you and you can weigh your options while helping us on cases. Just like the old days."

Nancy felt like her head was spinning. It would be great to spend time with the Hardys and solve actual cases again. "I don't know…"

"Sure you do! It'll be great!" Joe encouraged.

Frank held out his hand. "What do you say?"

Nancy smiled taking his hand. "Okay. But just for a visit. Like old times."

"Yes!" Joe jumped up. "Now where are Bess and George with that pizza…"


	2. Chapter 1

**Note: Thanks to everyone that has read and reviewed. I appreciate hearing from you. This is my first time writing anything like this so I am learning as I go.**

Nancy looked around the office at Hardy & Sons Investigative Services and sighed. Almost a month had passed since Frank and Joe had convinced her to come to Bayport. And an amazing month it had been. It felt natural to be working with the Hardys again, but she knew she needed to start thinking about a more permanent solution.

And then there was Frank. He challenged her, made her laugh. He understood that chasing puzzles and mysteries was as engrained in her as the color of her hair. Being around him made her both nervous and excited. Something about it just felt right.

"_Stop being ridiculous, Drew. He has a girlfriend_." At least she _thought _he had a girlfriend. She hadn't seen them together since the first night she arrived in Bayport. She had tried to hide it, but she could tell Callie was not happy Frank was going to be working so closely with Nancy.

The sound of voices jostled Nancy out of her thoughts. "I'm just saying, big brother, we all know the Patriots…oh, hi, Nance, we didn't think you would be here yet," Joe explained as he and Frank entered the room. Frank and Joe had an apartment together across town, but Nancy was staying with their parents until she found a place of her own. _"If I decide to stay."_

"Good morning! I wanted to look over a few of these files again before our meeting tonight with Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs. What do you think he wants to talk to us about?" Nancy knew that Mr. Jacobs was a good friend of the Hardy family.

"I think I might be able to answer that," Fenton Hardy answered for his sons as he entered the room. "I spoke with Mike this morning. It seems his daughter, Cara, is missing."

"Cara is missing?" Joe exclaimed. "Has he called the police?"

"Of course, but Cara is 18 years old and there has been no evidence of foul play." "The police believe she is missing by her own choosing. Until they have reason to believe otherwise…"

"They won't take it seriously," Frank interjected. "Has she done anything like this before?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but we'll need to talk to her parents." Fenton looked around the room worriedly. "Mike Jacobs is one of my oldest and dearest friends. I will do everything in my power to help him find his daughter."

"Don't worry, Dad. We'll find her." Joe was determined, but he could only hope they liked what they found.

* * *

><p>"Alright, out with it," Joe said. Nancy and his father had both gone back to the house to freshen up before their meeting with Mr. Jacobs so he and Frank were alone at the office.<p>

"Out with what?" Frank asked quizzically looking up from his computer.

"What is going on with you and Callie? I haven't seen her in ages. And while we're at it, what is going on with you and Nancy?"

"There is nothing going on with Nancy!" Frank blushed. _"Was he that obvious?"_

"Sure, sure," Joe replied. "And Callie?"

Frank sighed. He knew he had to deal with all of this sooner or later. He supposed it might as well be sooner. "Callie and I…it wasn't working."

"You broke up?" Joe looked shocked. "When?"

"Umm…uh, about a month ago," Frank said uncomfortably.

"What? Why didn't you tell me? Wait, you mean about the same time a certain red haired detective arrived in Bayport?" Joe smirked.

"No! Err, I mean yes, but it had nothing to do with that!" Frank looked like he wanted to crawl under his desk, but Joe was not one to back down from an opportunity to tease his older brother.

"So Callie broke up with you because you loooove Nancy, am I right?" Joe winked.

"No! We just decided that it wasn't working anymore. You know Callie has never handled the demands of our job very well." Frank's face was redder than Nancy's hair. "That and she may not have liked that we were going to be working with Nancy," he muttered under his breath.

"I knew it!" Joe exclaimed. "But something tells me Callie doesn't care at all if _I _work with Nancy."

"And this is why I didn't tell you," Frank groaned. "Nancy is a longtime friend and colleague. Callie was forcing me to choose and I just couldn't do it. It has been over for a long time anyway. This was just what pushed it over the edge."

Joe grinned. "So now you and Nancy are both free to be together. Finally! Wanna double date with Vanessa and me?"

"What? No, it's not like that," Frank stammered. He could feel his cheeks heating up again as they did whenever he thought of Nancy. _"Could it really be true? After so many years?"_

Frank rubbed his face with his hands and took a deep breath.

Joe laughed. "Whatever you say, big brother."

* * *

><p>Mike Jacobs was a very large, slightly graying man of about fifty. His wife, Sandra, around his same age, was as short and as slender as he was tall and broad. They had arranged to meet the Hardys and Nancy at a quiet Italian restaurant downtown.<p>

After introductions, they settled in to discuss the circumstances surrounding Cara's disappearance.

"Thank you for meeting with us, Fenton," Mr. Jacobs began. "I wasn't sure what else to do since the police aren't being much help right now."

"It's our pleasure, Mike," Mr. Hardy replied. "I know I speak for my sons and Nancy when I say we will do everything in our power to find Cara. Why don't you fill us in on what you know so far."

"Cara has always been a wonderful daughter. She was an honor roll student, always obeyed our rules, helped with chores... Then, a few months ago, all of that changed. She started her senior year at Bayport High and within weeks her grades were slipping, she started breaking curfew, skipping classes, arguing with her mother and me. "

"When did you first realize Cara was missing?" Frank asked.

Nancy could see the worry in Mr. Jacobs' eyes. "Monday. Her teachers said she never showed up for her last class of the day."

The others exchanged a glance. It was only Tuesday. If Cara had chosen to skip her last class yesterday did she also choose to skip coming home that day? It was not surprising that the cops were not taking this more seriously. _"Yet," _Nancy thought.

"Mrs. Jacobs," Joe began. "Is Cara dating anyone?"

Mrs. Jacobs was visibly shaken. "I know what you are thinking, but to my knowledge Cara did not have a boyfriend. She had a lot of friends, both male and female, but if she had being seeing anyone exclusively I didn't know about it."

"Please," Mr. Jacobs pleaded. "I know it doesn't look good, but I know that wherever Cara is she cannot contact us. She has been different lately, but I know she wouldn't do this."

Frank tried to sound reassuring. "Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs, I promise you that we will do whatever we can to help you. We'll need to talk to her friends and teachers. Can you put together a list for us?"

"Of course," Mrs. Jacobs replied tearfully. "I probably have most of their numbers and addresses as well."

Nancy passed Mrs. Jacobs a tissue from her purse. "A rundown of Cara's normal schedule would also be helpful. Meanwhile, can you think of anything else that might help us?" she asked. "You said Cara had started acting out recently. Any indications as to the reason for her sudden changes in behavior?"

Mrs. Jacobs hesitated. "No, it was so strange. She gradually started shutting us out. The two of us were very close before, but whatever was bothering her she refused to talk to me about it. Not for lack of trying to get through to her."

"We thought it was a typical teenage phase," Mr. Jacobs added. He turned to Fenton. "We will do anything we can to help you find Cara. I know the police will be looking into it, but I will feel so much better knowing we have you on our side as well."

Joe watched as Mike Jacobs put a comforting arm around his wife, Sandra. "I'm sorry to ask this, but it is standard procedure. Were there any problems at home that we should know about?"

"We understand, but no, other than the normal disagreements between spouses from time to time things were great," Mr. Jacobs smiled at his wife. "We have always been very happy."

"Well, on that note, I think we should get to work and make sure you stay that way." Mr. Hardy rose to leave. Shaking Mr. Jacobs hand he added, "Mike, Sandra, these are three of the most capable young people I know. We will find Cara. That's a promise. We'll be in touch."


	3. Chapter 2

**NOTE: I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your reviews. It is great encouragement to continue writing. **

**I hope it isn't too hard to follow. I basically assume if you are reading this you are already familiar with the main characters and their tendencies. **

**Chapter 2**

The next morning the trio were driving to Bayport High for what promised to be a full day of interviewing Cara's friends, teachers, and any other potential witnesses.

"Oooh, look Ed's Diner. Pull over!" Joe exclaimed.

"Joe, you _just _ate breakfast!" Frank said rolling his eyes. He was used to his brother's insatiable appetite.

"Naaannncy! Ed makes the best pancakes in the entire world. We cannot miss this opportunity," Joe whined from the backseat of Frank's SUV.

Nancy pulled a sausage biscuit out of her purse. "Here, eat this."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "Your Mom," Nancy shrugged. "She wouldn't let me leave the house without it. Something about thanking her later."

In the backseat, Joe was finishing up his second breakfast. "My hero! I knew I always liked you better than Callie."

Frank's eyes grew wide. "Oh, look, we're here!"

* * *

><p>Once inside the school, Nancy and Frank set things up in the gymnasium while Joe went with the principal, Mr. Bryant, to find the first person for them to interview.<p>

Frank watched Nancy as she studied the notes in front of her, mentally preparing the questions she wanted to ask. He admired her more than she would ever know. Smart, caring, beautiful… _"Yes, definitely beautiful,"_ he thought as she brushed her hair out of her face.

There was something different about Nancy. He had liked Callie a lot, loved her even, but there was always something missing. Something he only became aware of when he was around Nancy. It was more than not understanding his job, although that didn't help. When he was with Nancy, he felt excited. Like there was this heightened awareness of everything in the room. And that when she smiled he knew he would do anything in the world to make her keep smiling.

"A penny for your thoughts, Hardy," Nancy jostled him back to reality.

"Sorry," he said. "This place brings back a lot of memories." And it did. Good memories. Frank knew that their split had been inevitable, but he still cared for Callie. Shaking his head to try and clear his mind, he turned to Nancy. "What about you, Drew?" he teased. "What was high school like for the famous Nancy Drew?"

"Oh no," Nancy resisted. "High school is over and I for one and glad of it!" She smiled looking up at him. "Besides, I much prefer my life now."

"Even without Ned?" he asked gently taking her hand.

"Especially without Ned," she whispered. "He was never going to really understand me. Not truly."

"I understand. It used to be the same way with Callie."

"_Used to be? Past tense?" _Nancy's heart skipped a beat. "Frank, are you saying-" she began.

"Ahem!" Joe cleared his throat. "Would you like for us to come back?" Neither of them had noticed Joe walk in with a girl who must be one of Cara's friends.

Frank dropped Nancy's hand like it was on fire. "Uh, no, it's fine. We were just…err…"

Blushing, Nancy looked down at the list on the table. "You must be Meredith," she said. "I'm Nancy Drew and this is Frank Hardy. Please, have a seat."

* * *

><p>Several hours later, they had just about given up. Nobody had been able to give them anything that seemed at all relevant to finding Cara and Nancy had a sneaking suspicion that several of these "friends" were just trying to get out of class.<p>

As they started packing up, a young woman entered the gym. "Excuse me, are you the detectives looking for Cara?" she asked.

"Yes, did you know her?" Joe looked hopeful.

The girl was clearly very shy. "Yes, she replied," while staring at her feet.

"Please, sit down," Nancy said soothingly. "We are here to help. How did you know Cara?"

"My…my name is Beth. Cara and I were friends."

"Hi Beth, we didn't see your name on the list Cara's mother provided us of her friends."

Beth shook her head. "No, it wouldn't be there. Not many people knew we were friends. Cara was popular. She hung out with a different crowd."

"But you were still friends?" Nancy encouraged.

"Yes, as seniors we were eligible to take independent study courses. Cara and I had the same sponsor so we spent third period together every day- just the two of us."

"Who was your sponsor?" Joe asked.

"Oh, Mr. Wiggins," Beth seemed to light up at the mention of his name. "The work we did was for college credit from the local college, but he oversaw everything to make sure we were actually turning in our assignments on time."

"_Funny, I don't have Mr. Wiggins' name on this list either,"_ Nancy thought. "Beth, what can you tell us about Cara?"

"Cara is great. She's one of the few friends I have actually," Beth shrugged. "She was always nice to me."

"Do you have any idea of Cara's whereabouts, Beth? Her family is very worried," Frank urged.

Beth shook her head. "No, I don't know where she is, but I'm sure she is fine."

The detectives looked at each other confused. Beth seemed sweet, but perhaps a little naïve. "What makes you think that?" Joe asked.

"Because she told me so."

Nancy was growing impatient. Either this girl was not very bright or she was hiding something. "What do you mean she told you so?"

"She told me if she ever was missing that I shouldn't worry. That she just had to take care of something," Beth answered quickly. "I think she knew something was going to happen and she didn't want me to be afraid."

"What do you think she thought was going to happen?" Frank asked suspiciously.

"I don't know."

* * *

><p>"Well, <em>that<em> was weird," Joe said incredulously as they walked back to the car.

"Indeed," Nancy added. "We need to talk to this Mr. Wiggins." They had tried to find him after talking with Beth, but he was out sick today. That made Nancy uneasy. _"How convenient,"_ she thought.

"Uh oh," Joe teased. "I sense a little of that Drew intuitiveness coming through. Gotta hunch, Nance?"

"It's all a little suspicious, I have to agree," Frank added. "But Mr. Bryant gave us his home address. Let's pay him a little visit, shall we?"

* * *

><p>They pulled up to the address the principal had given them, but the house was deserted.<p>

"It doesn't look like anyone has been here in days," Joe said as he peered through the back window."

"_Another coincidence, I'm sure,"_ Nancy thought. "What now? Every second is crucial in missing person cases. You know that. This guy has answers. I can _feel_ it."

"We'll call Dad and have him put all his resources into finding Mr. Wiggins," Frank answered. "In the meantime, it's getting late. Let's go feed Joe."

* * *

><p>Nancy had finally given in and gone to dinner. After, they had all gone back to the brothers' apartment to go over the case.<p>

"We clearly need to talk to Mr. Wiggins," Joe looked perplexed. "But there must be something we are missing."

"I think Beth might know more than she has let on so far," Nancy replied. "She seemed so shy and innocent, but the way her face lit up when she mentioned Mr. Wiggins seemed very telling. It's possible she knows something without realizing she knows something."

"Agreed," Frank replied. "We'll keep an eye on her as well as continue to search for Mr. Wiggins. I think tomorrow we should go talk to Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs about why neither Beth or Mr. Wiggins were on their list of witnesses."

"Now that it has been 48 hours, the police have amped up their search efforts as well," Joe added. "Hopefully, we'll find her soon."

Nancy sighed. "I guess we have done all we can for today. Anyone want to watch a movie?"


	4. Chapter 3

**Thank you for all the reviews! I really appreciate them.**

**Chapter 3**

The following morning the brothers and Nancy pulled in the Jacobs' long driveway. Joe whistled. "Look at the size of this house," he looked up in amazement.

"Dad did mention that Mr. Jacobs had a very lucrative career on Wall Street before returning to Bayport," Frank agreed.

Nancy frowned. "It may be unrelated to Cara's disappearance, but it couldn't hurt to find out a little more about Mr. Jacobs' business dealings."

* * *

><p>Once inside and seated in the Jacobs' living room, Frank addressed Cara's parents. "Have either of you ever met Beth Fernandez? She told us she was a friend of Cara."<p>

"Why no," Mrs. Jacobs looked surprised. "I know all of Cara's friends and have never heard of anyone named Beth."

"She told us she was taking an independent study course with Cara during third period. Under the supervision of a Mr. Wiggins?" Frank continued.

"Mr. Wiggins?" Mrs. Jacobs looked startled. "No, I've never heard that name." She shook her head. "Cara worked on the newspaper staff during third period."

"The schedule given to us by the school staff does have Cara listed with Mr. Wiggins for third period," Nancy said gently. "We tried to talk with him, but he was not at school yesterday."

"That's impossible!" Mr. Jacobs' cried. "We certainly knew what classes our only daughter was taking!"

"Mike," his wife said as she took his hand. "Cara is missing. We have to consider there might have been things she was hiding from us." Mrs. Jacobs hesitated and Nancy could see tears in her eyes. "If it will help find her they need to explore every angle."

Mr. Jacobs sighed. "I suppose you are right. I just can't understand why she would keep something as simple as a schedule change from us."

"We intend to find out," Joe promised.

* * *

><p>As they rose to leave, Frank and Joe hung back for a moment with Mr. Jacobs while Nancy followed Mrs. Jacobs to the door. "You have a beautiful home," she said.<p>

Mrs. Jacobs smiled sadly. "Thank you. It's so nice having so much space and a yard again after years in the city. Without Cara here though…"

"We'll find her, Mrs. Jacobs," Nancy assured her. "In the meantime, if there is anything you can think of that might help us-"

"-I will call you immediately," she finished. "It is killing me thinking of her out there somewhere unable to come home."

"You and Mr. Jacobs have obviously done well for yourselves. Can you think of anyone who might resent that?"

"No, not at all," Mrs. Jacobs replied. "Mike did well in the stock market in the past, that's true, but now he just works part-time as a financial consultant."

"It's fairly boring, I'm afraid," Mr. Jacobs added as he, Frank, and Joe joined the women in the foyer.

"No disgruntled customers?" Frank asked. "No bad investments someone might be upset about?"

"Nothing I can think of," Mr. Jacobs shook his head. "Most of my clients here are only wanting basic savings and retirement plans. Nothing too risky."

"What about from your time on Wall Street? Somebody holding a longstanding grudge?" Joe offered.

"I have racked my brain, but I cannot think of anyone," Mr. Jacobs sighed. "I will give you a copy of the list of my past business associates that I provided the police this morning, but I'm not sure that it will be any help."

Frank looked sympathetic. "We have to track down every possible lead right now," he said. "Something will turn up."

"Do you think this Beth person knows something?" Mrs. Jacobs looked hopeful.

"We don't know, but we intend to find out," Nancy said determinedly. "C'mon guys, we have work to do."

* * *

><p>A few hours and many phone calls later, the detectives felt like they were back at square one. None of the conversations with any of Mr. Jacobs' business associates had led to anything and they were growing more and more frustrated.<p>

"That was Dad," Frank said as he hung up the phone. "Mr. Wiggins did not show up to school today. The police have a car watching his house, but there is no still no sign of him."

Joe groaned. "There has got to be a way to find this guy! Credit card receipts… security cameras…something!"

"The police are searching, Joe," Nancy said calmly. "They haven't even been looking for 24 hours yet."

"But Cara may not have 24 hours!" Joe slammed his phone down on the desk and stormed out.

"Let him go," Frank said as Nancy stood to go after him. "He gets passionate about cases like this. He'll be alright."

"Okay, if you're sure," Nancy sighed. "It's frustrating for all of us, I'm afraid."

Frank nodded. They worked in silence for several minutes, both acutely aware they were alone in the office.

Nancy was the first to speak. "Why didn't you tell me about Callie?" she said quietly.

Frank looked up at her. "I honestly don't know," he sighed. "I didn't even tell Joe."

"When?"

Frank blushed. "About a month ago," he said shyly.

Now it was Nancy's turn to blush. "Oh."

Several more minutes of silence passed before either of them spoke again.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me?" Frank blurted out suddenly. "Just the two of us."

Nancy looked surprised. "Right now?" she asked.

Frank turned red and appeared to be just as shocked as she was. _"Did I just ask Nancy out on a date?"_ Regaining his composure, he shrugged. "Why not? We've been working nonstop. Besides, we have to eat."

"Okay then," she said shyly.

* * *

><p>Frank chose to take Nancy to a quiet Asian bistro downtown. "The food is great and we should be able to have some privacy," he explained, still having trouble making eye contact. <em>"Smooth, Hardy. This is going to be some evening if you can't even look at her."<em>

The waiter showed them to a table in the back corner and after ordering drinks they were alone. "So, what's good?" Nancy asked as she looked at the menu.

Frank shrugged. "Pretty much everything. I know how you love crab rangoon, it is excellent here."

"You remembered." Nancy murmured.

"I remember everything about you," he answered automatically and then realized what he had said. _"Why can't I stop talking?_" he thought incredulously. _"Too late now, I guess." _

"Well, I do," he said finally.

Nancy was staring at the table as if she had never seen anything quite so interesting as her chopsticks. _"What are we doing?" _she thought to herself. She and Frank had been friends for years. Was it worth the risk of throwing all of that away if it didn't work out? She looked up to meet his eyes and felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body. _"Yes,"_ she blushed. If just looking into his eyes could do that, well… she owed it to herself to find out more.

"A penny for your thoughts, Drew?" Frank said softly.

Nancy smiled. "I was just thinking that I am really glad you asked me to dinner." They would have to talk about heavier things eventually, but for now she just wanted to enjoy his company.

"Me too," Frank grinned.

* * *

><p>Frank and Joe arrived at the office the next day only to find their Dad and Nancy already there. "Trying to make us look bad, Nance?" Joe teased. "Dad's going to expect us this early every day."<p>

"It wouldn't hurt for you to get up more than five minutes before we leave," Frank said wryly.

Fenton smiled. "I'll believe _that_ when I see it."

"Hey!" Joe protested. "It takes a lot of beauty sleep to look this good."

Nancy couldn't help but laugh. "Well, while the two of you sleepyheads were busy snoring, your Dad and I may have found something."

The brothers looked intrigued. "Really? What have you got?" Frank asked.

"Well, I couldn't stop thinking about Beth," she replied. "I was convinced she was hiding something. I asked your Dad if could find out anything about her background and what he found was very interesting..."

"I called the school and asked Mr. Bryant to send the file for Beth Fernandez," Fenton added. "After attempting to verify some of the information, Nancy noticed a discrepancy."

"Some things like past addresses and schools appear to be correct on the surface," Nancy explained, "but the issue arises with the dates."

"What do you mean?" Frank asked suspiciously.

"I mean that Beth Fernandez is a fraud," Nancy said firmly. "She actually graduated from high school eight years ago. Beth Fernandez is 26 years old."


	5. Chapter 4

**As always, thank you for the reviews. :)**

**Chapter 4**

"What?" Joe exclaimed. "That shy little girl we saw the other day at the school is 26? What on earth is she doing in high school?"

"That shy little girl is older than you are, Joe," Nancy pointed out. "And clearly it was all an act, but the question is why?"

"Have you informed Chief Collig?" Frank asked. "He will definitely want to know about this."

"We did and unfortunately it looks like we were too late," his father answered. "Beth didn't show up to school today. Our snooping around must have spooked her."

Joe seemed to have recovered from the initial shock. "Do we have a home address?"

Nancy shook her head. "The address the school had is old. She may have lived there at one time, but the building has since been torn down."

"So we have a missing student, a missing teacher, and a grown woman posing as a high school student," Frank thought out loud.

"A _missing_ woman who _was _posing as a high school student," Joe added.

"Right," Fenton agreed. "I think the next step is to begin checking into what little we do know from Beth Fernandez' past. Frank, since you are the most computer savvy you can stay here with me and keep digging. Joe and Nancy, you go find out anything you can from this previous school she attended."

"We'll call if we find anything new," Frank added.

"Looks like you're with me, Nance," Joe grinned. "Don't get any ideas though, Vanessa's feisty."

Nancy rolled her eyes at Frank and Fenton as she followed Joe out the door. "Wish me luck."

* * *

><p>Beth Fernandez' former school was in Crayton, a small town about an hour outside of Bayport. Against her better judgment, Nancy had allowed Joe to drive. "Joe! I think the school will still be there when we arrive, it's not a race."<p>

"You sound just like Frank," Joe grumbled but did slow down- a little bit.

"Speaking of Frank," he continued with a mischievous grin. "What's going on with you two lovebirds?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Nancy said blushing. "We're really good friends."

Joe snorted. "A really good friend he broke up with his girlfriend of umpteen years for."

"He did not!" Nancy cried. "He told me she didn't understand him, that it had been over for a long time, that…"

"All of that is true," Joe said in a tone more gentle than Nancy had known he was capable. "It has been true for a long time. But they didn't actually break up until you came to Bayport. Single."

"I know," Nancy sighed. "It's just complicated."

"Did you or did you not enjoy your evening with Frank last night?" he asked. Seeing the look she gave him he looked amused, "Oh yeah, I know about it."

"Of course I did," she began, "but…"

Joe looked exasperated. "But what, Nancy? Aren't you both tired of making excuses?"

Nancy was quiet at this. It was some time before she whispered so softly that it was unlikely Joe could hear her. "Yes."

* * *

><p>As they reached Crayton, their immediate impressions were that it was a very small, and most likely, impoverished town. Many of the buildings were either rundown or completely deserted. In fact, there was little sign of life at all as they made there way through.<p>

Just when Joe was thinking that he was going to have to make it all the way back to Bayport to find lunch, they passed what appeared to be a very large, very new shopping center that seemed quite out of place compared to what they had seen of the rest of the town. "Awesome!" he exclaimed.

"I bet the shop and restaurant owners downtown don't think it is very awesome," Nancy suggested.

"No, I bet not," he agreed.

Crayton High School was not in as terrible a condition as the downtown area, but it was clearly not as up-to-date as Bayport High.

"Do you think it's odd that she doesn't even appear to have a computer?" Nancy asked Joe as the receptionist when to alert the principal to their presence.

"It does seem strange for 2015," Joe agreed.

It was not long before the receptionist, Mary, had returned with they assumed was Crayton High's person in charge.

"Hello, I'm Marcus Cannon," he said while holding out a hand to the two detectives.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Cannon. I'm Joe Hardy and this is Nancy Drew. We are private detectives investigating a missing persons case and have a few questions about a former student of yours."

"Yes, of course," he replied gesturing down the hall. "Please, we can talk in my office."

As they were taking their seats, Nancy surveyed the room. There was a desk, of course, and a bookcase, but other than a small laptop computer on the desk and a few photographs, the room was empty.

Seeing the two detectives looking around, Principal Cannon shrugged. "I know it's not much, but it serves its purpose."

"It's fine," Joe assured him. "We wanted to ask you about a former student. It would have been about ten years ago that she attended Crayton High. A Beth Fernandez?"

"I would have to try to find the file," he answered apologetically. "I have only been here a couple of years myself."

"Sure," Nancy replied. She had been watching Mr. Cannon closely. He was probably mid-forties and obviously tired, but there was something else she couldn't quite put her finger on. "We are happy to wait."

"I'll just go check with Mary…" he said as he left the room.

Nancy decided it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look around while Mr. Cannon looked for the file they needed. Unfortunately, since the room was fairly sparse there wasn't much to see. "It looks like Mr. Cannon has a couple of kids based on these pictures," she told Joe, "but I don't see much of significance."

"No," he agreed. "If anything it looks _too _empty." He looked around uneasily. "This place gives me the creeps."

"C'mon, Joe, it isn't that bad," she argued. Although, even Nancy had to admit something was odd about the place.

Mr. Cannon returned then with a folder in hand. "I think this is what you are looking for, but I'm not sure how much help it will be."

Joe took the folder eager to see its contents. "That's okay, I'm sure anything will help at this point. He browsed over the papers in the folder passing them to Nancy as he went. "Maybe I was wrong," he sighed.

Nancy wasn't as easily discouraged. "This seems pretty straightforward. Average student, no major behavior problems, but what would really help is if we could talk to anyone who was working at the school at the time and might remember Beth."

"That can probably be arranged," Mr. Cannon smiled. "There are a few teachers that were here at that time. They may remember her. I'll ask Mary to arrange for you to talk to them."

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Cannon," Nancy said shaking his hand. "We'll be in touch."

* * *

><p>After several interviews that Nancy deemed utterly ridiculous, she was starting to get really annoyed. If these were truly the people teaching the children of Crayton then she was starting to understand the problem.<p>

Then Mrs. Britsch arrived. At age sixty-seven, she was well past the eligible retirement age for teachers. "They keep trying to get me to hang it up, but I just love the kids so much. Why should I go sit at home twiddling my thumbs when I have so much to do here?" she added enthusiastically. "I heard you wanted to talk to the more…ahem…experienced teachers in the school."

Not only was the lady excited about teaching, she clearly was excited about being part of an investigation as well. "Mrs. Britsch," Nancy began, "do you remember a student approximately ten or so years ago named Beth Fernandez?"

Mrs. Britsch smiled. "Well, of course I do," she replied. "Although I called her Lizzie. Sweet, quiet girl… there was never any problem." She looked at Joe and Nancy with concern. "Is something wrong?"

"We don't know yet, but we really need to talk with her. Do you know where we can find her?" Joe asked.

"Well, no dear," Mrs. Britsch looked bewildered. "I haven't seen Lizzie in years." She hesitated slightly. "But surely her aunt can tell you."

"Her aunt?" Joe and Nancy looked just as confused as Mrs. Britsch.

"Yes, of course? Mary Fernandez?" she frowned. "You just met her? She's the principal of Crayton High."


	6. Chapter 5

**NOTES: As always, thank you for the reviews, both private and public. They are always so appreciated. **

**I know there are a lot of twists, but I promise I do have an end game of where this is headed. First story so bear with me. :)**

**Chapter 5**

"The principal?" Joe exclaimed. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, dear," Mrs. Britsch looked confused. "I have worked here for years. I'm not so old not to know my own boss."

"Mrs. Britsch, did Mrs. Fernandez or Mr. Cannon tell you to come talk with us?" Nancy asked suspiciously.

"Oh no," Mrs. Britsch waved her hand as if dismissing the idea, "I just overhead there were detectives here talking to some of the teachers and I just had to be a part of it. I love a good mystery you see. It's just like in my favorite novels."

"Thank you for your help, Mrs. Britsch," Joe said to the clearly excited teacher. "We'll let you know if we have any other questions."

As Mrs. Britsch left the room, Nancy was lost deep in thought for a moment. "Clearly these interviews have been a sham. Why is everyone we talk to hiding something?"

"Why indeed?" Joe agreed while scratching his head. "What reason could Mary Fernandez have for not letting us know she is the real principal? And why did Mr. Cannon go along with it?"

"That's what I intend to find out," Nancy said as she made her way back to the principal's office with Joe at her heels.

* * *

><p>The reception area was empty, but the two detectives pushed through without bothering to stop. Mr. Cannon was sitting at the desk in what they now knew wasn't his real office.<p>

"Can I help you?" he asked looking startled.

"Why did you lie to us?" Joe blurted out. "We know you're not really the principal."

"_Smooth, Joe,"_ Nancy groaned. "Mr. Cannon, were told that Mary Fernandez, the lady who introduced herself to us as the receptionist is in fact the real principal of Crayton High. Is that correct?"

Mr. Cannon looked around defiantly. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"But I think you do," Nancy retorted. "And I am sure the police will be very interested to know that Mary Fernandez is also Beth Fernandez' aunt. Right now we can only assume she is trying to interfere with a missing persons investigation."

Mr. Cannon sighed. "I told her this was a bad idea."

"What was a bad idea?" Joe urged.

"All of it!" Mr. Cannon cried while jumping out of his chair. "What on earth did she think was going to happen?"

Joe inched slowly towards Mr. Cannon ready to subdue him if the situation arose. "Hey! Why don't you sit down and tell us what you know?" He looked to Nancy who nodded in response to his unspoken question. She had texted Frank to notify the police. They would want to talk to Mary Fernandez about her relationship with Beth.

Mr. Cannon sat down and leaned with his elbows on the desk and face in his hands. After a moment, he looked up at the two detectives. "I'll tell you what I know, but mind you, it is not a lot. I just want to help them."

"Mary Fernandez is my sister," he continued. "She is the principal of Crayton High School. I am just the basketball coach," he added.

"Beth Fernandez is her niece on her husband's side, but they were very close. Beth's parents were into drugs and spent time in and out of jail. Mary and her husband, Paul, would take care of Beth as their own, although it was never made official."

"This doesn't explain why you were pretending to be the principal today," Joe pressed.

"No, and I'm not even sure myself. Mary came to me a few days ago and told me Beth was in some trouble. She told me if anyone came around asking questions that I needed to pretend to be the principal to help hide her own relationship with Beth. She was worried that she would give it away immediately if she was questioned," he shrugged.

"My office is just down the hall so it was easy for her to come find me when the time came. I tried to get her to tell me what was going on, but she wouldn't tell me more than that. Knowing the history with Beth's parents, I didn't press the issue. I thought they were probably trying to get back in Beth's life somehow, so I agreed to help. They wouldn't recognize me."

"We're going to need the current address for Mary and Paul," Joe told him. "And any phone numbers you may have for them."

"Just Mary I'm afraid," Mr. Cannon said sadly. "Paul passed away about a year ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Nancy said sincerely. She did not like that Mr. Cannon had deceived him, but her gut told her he was telling them the truth now. "What happened?"

"Paul owned a hardware store downtown," he began. "Several years ago, the area started to decline. Crime was becoming more prevalent and people began spending less time in the shops downtown. "I'm sure you passed the new development?" Joe and Nancy nodded as he continued. "People blamed it for the deterioration, but in truth, it began before it arrived. It was just the final nail in the coffin."

"Mary tried to convince Paul to sell the store, but it had been in his family for generations and he could not bear to let it go. One day, two men looking for drug money came in the store and shot Paul. I think they got $75 from the cash register."

"How horrible," Nancy said not without sympathy. She laid her business card on the desk. "Mr. Cannon, I know these are your family members and you want to protect them, but it is possible they are in real danger. If you hear from them, please let us know immediately. There are two parents who desperately want to find their daughter and we have reason to believe Beth may be able to help us."

At that moment, two police officers entered the room. Joe and Nancy filled them in on what had happened so far. The officers thanked them and promised to keep them up-to-date on any leads they might find at the home of Mary Fernandez.

* * *

><p>Later, back at the office, Joe and Nancy brought Frank and Fenton up-to-date on what they had discovered at the school.<p>

Frank looked baffled. "I still don't understand why Mary Fernandez had her brother pose as principal. As you proved, it was pretty easy to find out they were lying,"

"But I'm not sure we would have found out if Mrs. Britsch hadn't come searching for us," Nancy offered. "It seemed pretty obvious that all the other teachers we interviewed had been coached on what to say to us."

"Which means this is may be bigger than we thought," Fenton agreed. "That's a lot of people willing to withhold the truth from investigators."

"What about Mr. Cannon?" Frank asked. "He may have just been trying to help his sister, but we can't rule out that he knows more than he's saying."

"The police will be watching him closely," Fenton said, "but we'll do some digging too. I'd like to find Beth Fernandez' parents as well."

"Any word on Mr. Wiggins?" Joe looked hopeful.

"Nothing concrete," Frank replied. "Most of the background he provided to the school appears to be bogus. We have a couple of leads, but it'll take some time to know anything certain."

Nancy was growing more frustrated by the minute. _"What are we missing?"_ she thought furiously. "The hardware store! I think we should talk to people downtown near Paul Fernandez' hardware store. It seems like too big of a coincidence-"

"-and you don't believe in coincidences," Frank and Joe said in unison.

"Am I that predictable?" Nancy smiled.

"That probably is a good idea," Fenton said laughing. "Why don't you three go check that out tomorrow? In the meantime, your mother would like you to all come for dinner. It should be ready soon. You go ahead over and after I call Mike to give him an update I'll be on my way."

* * *

><p>The Hardy house had always felt so warm and inviting to Nancy. It was one of her favorite places. Her mother had died when she was very young and although she loved her Dad and Hannah, the Drew's beloved housekeeper, she had often wished for a larger family. The past several weeks had been very therapeutic for her. She was close to Laura, Frank and Joe's mother, and even Aunt Gertrude had her moments.<p>

"Joe, will Vanessa be joining us?" Laura asked her youngest son as she added the final touches to a salad.

Joe looked up from the bread he was slicing. "Not tonight," he said. "She is going shopping with Callie."

Frank and Nancy, busy getting out the plates and silverware, both turned red upon hearing Callie's name. It did not go unnoticed by the Hardy matriarch. She knew there was something going on between the two of them, but she also knew her eldest son and that it was best not to push.

"Tell her hello for me, Joe," Nancy said. "I would love to see her sometime soon."

A mischievous gleam entered Joe's eye and he grinned. "Sure thing, Nance. We'll make it a double date!"

Laura laughed as she saw the look on Frank and Nancy's faces. "Let's go get things on the table, you three. I think your father is home."


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes: As always, thanks for the reviews. I really enjoy getting feedback.**

**Chapter 6**

The next day saw Nancy and, this time, both brothers back in Crayton. They decided to park in an empty lot at the edge of town and make their way down the main street, stopping whenever they saw signs of life along the way. Nancy was hopeful that this would be a productive day. She just could not accept that Beth Fernandez' ties to both a murder and a kidnapping was a coincidence.

"It looks like this actually used to be a nice area before all the shops began closing their doors," she observed.

"You would barely know it now," Joe said scrunching up his nose. "It smells."

"It definitely doesn't look like the town has been doing much to keep up the area that's for sure," Frank agreed. All of the garbage cans were overflowing and the odor was permeating the air as they made their way towards the first open shop.

The first person they encountered turned out to be in a flower shop about a quarter of the way down the street. "Thank heaven for small favors," Nancy said as she walked in the shop and took a deep breath. "I think my nose was starting to burn from the smell."

"May I help you?" a young woman asked coming around the counter.

"I hope so," Frank began. "My name is Frank. We are looking for some flowers for our Mom. Today is her birthday," he explained.

"Oh, absolutely!" the girl said looking delighted. Nancy studied the girl as she chatted with Frank about the flowers they would need. She was very petite with short blonde hair and big blue eyes. Big, pretty, _flirty_, blue eyes that were currently fixated on Frank. "I'm Molly. We would be happy to custom arrange anything you might need, Frank" she said smiling sweetly at him. "Your mother is soooo lucky to have such a caring son."

"Ahem!" Nancy interrupted pushing her way up to the counter. "I think perhaps as the only girl I should have some say in picking out the flowers."

Frank blushed. "Of course," he said moving out of the way to make room for Nancy. "Err, what do you have in mind?"

"Maybe a large bouquet of daisies, roses, and lilies. Lilies are her favorite," Nancy said in a matter of fact manner.

"They are?" Frank looked amazed. Nancy raised her eyebrows. "Oh! Uh, okay, then," he agreed. He'd nearly forgotten that it wasn't actually his Mom's birthday and it didn't really matter what kind of flowers they bought.

Meanwhile, Joe had been surveying the shop while the young woman's attentions were elsewhere. Rejoining them, he asked casually, "So it looks like you don't have a lot of neighbors around here?"

Molly shook her head. "No, not anymore," she said sadly. "I'm not even sure if we will be here much longer. My grandmother owns the shop, but she says if things don't pick up soon we'll have to close."

"What happened?" Frank asked attempting to come across as nothing more than an interested patron.

"I'm not really sure," Molly said. "Although there _is_ a bit of a drug problem in town. People don't want to be around that."

"When did that start?" Nancy asked.

"Four or five years ago, I guess," Molly shrugged. "Downtown Crayton was amazing when I was a young girl. It was thriving with shops and restaurants and so neat and clean." She sighed. "But they opened that bar down the street and it started attracting a shadier crowd. There are constant rumors of drug deals going on, but nobody is ever able to prove it. Over time, people just stopped coming around. I can't really say I blame them."

Joe looked suspicious. "What bar is this?" They hadn't seen a bar as they were walking in.

"The Silver Fox," Molly answered. "Just down the street a little ways," pointing in the opposite direction from where they had parked. "It's on the corner. You can't miss it. It's the only place you'll see with a crowd." Molly looked worriedly at Frank. "You're not thinking of going there, are you? You seem nice. You should stay far away from that place."

Nancy maneuvered in closer to Frank. "Oh, I think we can take care of ourselves, don't you, Frank?"

"Um, yes, of course," he agreed looking slightly bewildered.

Joe had been watching all of this with amusement, but decided it was time to move on. "Molly, we really appreciate your help, but we really need to be going. We'll be by later this afternoon to pick up our flowers."

"I can't wait," Molly smiled at Frank.

"See you later," Nancy said escorting Frank out the door.

Molly watched as the three of them left the shop. _"So cute,"_ she thought. _"His sister is a little weird though."_

* * *

><p>As they continued down the street Joe couldn't help but tease his brother. "Looks like somebody has the hots for tall, dark and handsome over here."<p>

Frank could feel the heat rising in his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think Molly clearly liked what she saw," Nancy agreed. "She sure was perky," she grumbled.

Joe, not one to waste an opportunity, couldn't help but include Nancy in the teasing. "Not to worry. I'm pretty sure if looks could kill, she'd already be dead."

Nancy shot him a look that suggested that was true. "ANYWAY," she said loudly. "I think we definitely need to check out this bar."

Frank looked relieved at the change of subject. "Definitely." He looked down at his watch. "Let's head there now. They shouldn't be too crowded at this time of day and we might have a better chance of talking with some of the employees."

"Hopefully they serve food!" Joe added excitedly.

* * *

><p>The Silver Fox proved to be a much larger establishment than they were expecting. Although it was far from full, there were still a decent amount of customers for it to only be 11:00 in the morning.<p>

Upon entering, the trio could immediately feel all eyes turn towards them. "I guess they don't get a lot of strangers in here," Joe muttered under his breath.

"Let's just find a seat somewhere," Frank suggested.

Fortunately, they were able to secure a corner booth that gave them a prime location for scouting out the place and its customers. "Do you think they have servers or do you just order at the bar?" Nancy asked while looking around for some clue as to the proper protocol.

Her question was answered as a tired looking woman likely in her mid-30s approached their table.

"What can I get ya?" she said skipping all pleasantries.

"Um, do you have a menu?" Joe asked.

"Menu?" she laughed gesturing around the bar. "I think you've mistaken us for someplace fancy. We've got typical bar food- burgers, fries, wings, beer. What'll it be?"

"I'll have a burger and fries," Nancy said pleasantly smiling at their reluctant waitress.

"Same for us," Frank added.

"Drinks?" she asked impatiently.

"Um, 3 beers," Joe said as he studied the other patrons. Everyone else appeared to already be deep into cocktail hour.

"Beers?" Nancy raised an eyebrow at Joe as the waitress walked back towards the kitchen.

"When in Rome," he shrugged. "I figured if we want to fit in we might as well try to look the part."

Frank nodded reasonably. "We've got to figure out a way to make them loosen up around us.

"I have an idea," Nancy suggested. "This place seems to mostly cater to guys. I am pretty sure I still know how to flirt." Nancy wasn't kidding herself. The guys she had seen so far in this bar were not even close to her type, but she had a feeling that wouldn't matter to them if she showed a little interest.

"That could work," Joe said thoughtfully.

"NO!" Frank practically screamed. "This is not safe."

"Um, Frank, you and Joe are going to be right here the entire time," Nancy argued secretly pleased that he cared so much.

"Seriously, Frank. She's not leaving the room," Joe said shaking his head. He knew his brother had it bad, but it was starting to cloud his judgment. He was going to be very happy when they finally stopped this tiptoeing around each other nonsense.

"Fine," Frank grumbled folding his arms not unlike an upset toddler.

Joe looked amused. "That was_ ridiculous_," he said after Nancy had walked over to the bar.

"What?" Frank asked not taking his eyes off Nancy.

"Dude, you've got it bad," Joe shook his head.

"I do not have it bad," Frank argued. "This could be dangerous is all."

"So you have no problem with Nancy flirting with all these other guys?"

"_Joe_," Frank warned.

"Why do you do this to yourself? Just tell her. What's the worst that could happen? You already went to dinner. She said yes to that didn't she?"

"Right. Because dinner is the same as telling someone you love them."

Joe's eyes grew wide. "Love? You _love_ Nancy?"

Frank could feel the heat in his face and knew he must resemble the bottle of ketchup on the table in front of him. "I didn't say that," he mumbled.

"Oh, I think you did," Joe said excitedly. "I knew you had a crush on Nancy, but I didn't know you loved her."

Frank grimaced. "Will you keep it down? She's going to hear you," he hissed through gritted teeth.

"You've got to tell her," Joe whispered. "Take a chance."

Frank sighed. "I don't know…"

"What don't you know?" Nancy said rejoining them at the table.

"Nothing," Frank shot Joe a warning look. "What did you find out from Crayton's finest over there?"

"Well, the guy in the red cap wears way too much cheap cologne and his friend appears to have a gold tooth, but as far as the case goes, not a lot I'm afraid," Nancy said looking slightly disgusted. "The bar is owned by someone named Jim Carson, but they didn't seem to know anything about him."

"Did you say Jim Carson?" Frank looked shocked.

"Yes, why?" Nancy said looking confused. "Do you know him?"

"No, but I know someone who does. Jim Carson is Mike Jacobs' business partner."


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes: Thank you for the reviews! I appreciate them so much.**

I should be able to continue updating pretty quickly now as the story starts to unfold.

**Chapter 7**

Nancy was flabbergasted. "You're kidding."

"Here we go with those coincidences again," Joe added.

"Sounds like we need to have a talk with Mr. Carson," Frank agreed.

Their waitress came back over with their bill. "Wendy," Joe began as he studied her nametag, "how long has this place been here?"

"Oh, about five years or so I'd say," she answered nonchalantly. "I've been here just a few months myself."

"Do you like working here?" Nancy asked hoping to get her to open up a little bit.

"It pays the bills," she shrugged.

"It's amazing that this place is able to do so well when the rest of the street seems to be shutting down," Frank observed.

"Must be a very business savvy owner," Nancy suggested.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Carson, he's the owner, is real good at business," Wendy explained. "He used to work up in the city on Wall Street. He's the one that brought that big superstore to town too. I guess we wouldn't have anything here in Crayton anymore if it wasn't for him."

The others shared a look at this revelation. "Do you know him?" Joe asked.

She nodded. "I've met him once or twice. He comes in from time to check on things." Wendy looked around nervously. "Look, I've got to get back to work. Do you need anything else?"

"No, thank you," Nancy smiled at her as she wished them a good day and went on her way.

"Well, that's an interesting bit of information," Joe whistled under his breath.

"Indeed," Frank agreed. "I think it's time to call Dad and give him an update."

"Don't forget your flowers!" Joe winked at Frank.

* * *

><p>Fenton met them back at the office to rehash what they knew so far. "I spoke with Chief Collig this afternoon," he began. "They still haven't found a trace of Cara, Mr. Wiggins, or either Fernandez woman."<p>

"One would have to think they are all in cahoots somehow," Nancy said. "The question is how does Mr. Carson fit in?"

"_If _he fits in," Fenton asserted. "We don't know that he has anything to do with this. Mike trusts him and from my conversation with him this afternoon I thought he seemed genuinely concerned and willing to help." After learning of Mr. Carson's connections in Crayton, Fenton had gone to talk to the man while the others finished up in town.

"Still, we probably shouldn't trust anyone at this point," Frank said agreeing with Nancy.

"True, but we do need to be careful," his father warned.

"What does Mr. Jacobs know about the bar and other stores under Mr. Carson's ownership in Crayton?" Joe asked.

Fenton shook his head. "Not a lot. He said the purchases were technically made by their consulting firm, but in name only. It was Carson's project."

"So anyone just looking at the paperwork would believe that Mr. Jacobs was involved as well?" Nancy asked curiously.

"Yes, I suppose so," Fenton agreed.

They could see the look of comprehension appear on her face. "That's it!" she exclaimed.

"That's what, Nance?" Joe looked confused.

"Most of the people in Crayton blame the supercenter and bar for the demise of the downtown area, right?"

"Right…" Frank nodded.

"Some might even say that Paul Fernandez' murder was a result of this same demise, correct?"

"Correct," Joe agreed.

"Well, if I was the revenge seeking type…" she began.

"Then I might want to take it out on anyone and everyone they believed to be responsible for it all!" Frank finished for her.

"Exactly!" Nancy was pacing now and you could practically see the wheels turning in her head. "If Mary and Beth Fernandez believed that their husband and uncle was killed as a result of the town's downfall, and they believed the town's downfall was a direct result of the superstores and bar brought in by Mr. Carson and Mr. Jacobs' firm…."

"Then they might want to seek revenge on Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Carson," Joe agreed.

Fenton nodded. "Well, it's certainly a theory, but it seems like a very elaborate plan for a high school principal and her niece to undertake."

"They obviously had help," Frank added. "Mr. Wiggins is clearly involved in some way."

"There may be more as well," Nancy said somberly. "We know several of the teachers at the school were willing to lie for them at least."

"What's the end game though?" Joe asked sensibly. "If they did take Cara, what are they planning to do with her?"

"I don't know," Nancy said softly. "Let's hope we're not too late to find out."

* * *

><p>Since the police were still searching for the missing parties and they could see no new avenue to explore that night, the detectives decided to take an evening off. "Vanessa will be thrilled," Joe explained, "we have barely seen each other since this case started."<p>

"What about you, Hardy?" Nancy teased Frank. "Any big plans for the evening?"

"Not a thing," he grinned. "What do you say, Drew? Think you can stand me for a few more hours?"

"What do you have in mind?" Nancy asked suspiciously.

"Well, I don't want to brag, but my bowling skills are a thing of legend."

"Don't get cocky now," Nancy laughed. "I'm not too bad myself."

"Oh, I have no doubt," he agreed. "What do you say? You up for it?"

"You're on," she said without hesitation. "I hope you aren't easily embarrassed."

* * *

><p>The evening went by quickly. Being with Frank was effortless and for the first time in as long as she could remember Nancy felt content- even happy. She watched him as he stepped up to take his last turn of the game. Handsome, smart, fun, kind. Yes, he was all of those things, but it was more than that. He was Frank. <em>"He's perfect,"<em> she thought to herself.

He saw her looking at him as he walked back to his seat. "What?" he asked suspiciously. "Do I have something on my face?"

Nancy shook her head trying to regain her composure. "Nope, just zoned out for a second."

"Well, time to tune back in, Drew," he said teasingly. "I just won the game."

"Only because I let you win," she retorted.

"Oh, is that so?" he growled. Nancy shrieked as he grabbed her around the waist while she tried to get away. Turning her towards him he looked down into her eyes. Nancy could feel her heart pounding as she looked up at him. For just a moment she was aware of nothing else in the world but the two of them.

And then, as quickly as it began, it was over. Frank dropped his arm from her waist and stepped away mumbling something apologetic under his breath. "I'll get our coats," he said finally.

Nancy took a deep breath as she watched him walk away. _"Get it together, Drew,"_ she thought for the millionth time since Frank Hardy walked back into her life. But no matter how hard she tried to fight it she knew it was pointless.

* * *

><p>Frank was cursing himself as he went to get their coats. He just wasn't sure what he was the most upset about. He had wanted to kiss Nancy in that moment so badly that he could almost taste the cherry lip gloss that he knew she would be wearing. Being that close and not being able to kiss her was torture.<p>

On the other hand, there was so much at stake and he had nearly ruined it all in one reckless moment. Nancy was one of his best friends. She was extremely close to his family. Heck, she was even living with his parents right now. What if it didn't work out? Would they ever be able to go back to how things were?

He could feel his heart pounding as he walked back over to meet her. She had been checking the messages on her phone and when she realized he had returned she looked up at him and smiled. Something in her eyes at that moment said more than any words could begin to explain. He knew then that it was worth the risk.

**If you're still reading, please let me know what you think! :)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Thanks to all of you that are still reading. I appreciate your feedback!**

**Chapter 8**

Nancy was the first one to wake the next morning. Relieved to have a few minutes to herself, she tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. As she sat down with her mug, she reflected on the night before.

Frank had been a perfect gentleman, as usual. She was certain he had been about to kiss her at one point and had to admit that she was more than a little disappointed when he didn't.

Nancy closed her eyes and sighed in frustration. They were grown adults behaving like shy teenagers. She knew what was at stake if things didn't work out, but she also knew things couldn't continue like this.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Laura entered the room. "Oh, Nancy, I didn't realize you were up," she smiled warmly.

"Good morning," she said smiling back. "Can I fix you some coffee?"

"That would be lovely," she said gratefully. "Thank you."

"No problem," she said as she poured a second cup. "I've always been an early riser."

"Like Frank," Laura observed. "He always was the first one up."

Nancy blushed at the mention of his name hoping his mother couldn't somehow read her earlier thoughts.

"It has been good for the boys having you here, Nancy. We hope that you'll stay."

"It has been good for _me,"_ she replied honestly. "After we finish this case I hope to figure out a next step."

Laura watched the young woman before her. She had always considered her to be like a daughter, but had a feeling that might end up being a little closer to reality than she had previously imagined. "As long as you know you are welcome here as long as you need."

"As long as you need," Fenton agreed joining them in the kitchen. Just as he prepared to pour his own cup of coffee, his cell phone buzzed. Looking at the message on the screen, he turned to Nancy. "Better make this next cup to go, my dear. That was Mike. We're needed right away."

* * *

><p>Fenton and Nancy met Frank and Joe at the Jacobs' home as quickly as possible. The place was swarming with police officers and Nancy was not sure at first they would be allowed in the house at all. Eventually, they had been able to talk their way in and made their way to where the family had gathered.<p>

"What on earth is going on?" Fenton asked as soon as they were able to pull Mr. Jacobs away.

"We had a phone call from Cara," he said frantically.

"What? When? What did she say?" Joe pressed for information.

"Right before I texted Fenton. She said not to worry that she was safe, but she…she sounded scared," Mr. Jacobs continued his voice cracking. "The police are trying to trace the call now."

"Did she say anything else?" Nancy asked urgently. "Could you hear any noises in the background?"

"No, she said she was safe and we immediately began asking questions, but the call ended before we could get any more information."

While Fenton attempted to comfort Mr. Jacobs, the others went to see what they could find out from police. Frank saw Detective Con Riley standing outside and went over to talk with him. They had worked on cases with Riley before and counted him as a friend.

"Any luck tracing the call, Con?" he asked shaking the other man's hand in greeting.

Riley hesitated at first, but eventually gave in. He knew it was pointless to try and keep anything from the Hardy boys. They would find out eventually anyway. "It was likely a burn phone, but we were able to narrow it down to an area around the tower near Barmet Bay. We have crews headed there now to search the area."

"How large of an area are we talking?"

Riley just shook his head. Unless they turn the phone back on, it could be a good 30 or 40-mile radius.

Frank sighed. "At least we know they are still close by."

Riley looked sharply at Frank. "I know you boys are working this case and we appreciate the help, but this could be very dangerous. Let us do the searching," he begged.

Frank just smiled. "We can handle ourselves, Con. Besides, you know we can't just sit and do nothing while Cara is missing. Especially with a new lead."

"That's what I was afraid of," Con muttered under his breath.

* * *

><p>Seeing there were no new leads to be found at the house, Nancy, Frank, and Joe headed towards the search area. Fenton went back to the office to look for anything to connect their suspects to that particular spot.<p>

"We don't even know where to begin," Nancy sighed. "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Joe had been unusually quiet and now spoke up, "Maybe not…" he began. "We think that the motive in kidnapping Cara was revenge for what happened in Crayton… the business shutting down, increased crime, and ultimately the death of Paul Fernandez…. correct?"

Frank and Nancy agreed as Joe continued. "Greene Street is not far from that cell tower. It used to be a popular spot for both locals and tourists, since it is right on the water, but I heard Chief Collig just a few weeks ago telling Dad how crime has really picked up in that area and a lot of shops have closed."

A look of recognition crossed Nancy's face. "How many buildings?"

"Probably only 10 or 12" Frank said excitedly. "Joe, call Dad and tell him our suspicions. We can be there in 10 minutes," he added as he picked up speed.

Of the buildings on Greene Street, only eight were occupied. The detectives decided it made the most sense to search the abandoned buildings first. "Dad called the police," Joe informed the others. "They are on their way. They want us to wait for them."

"Cara might not have that long," Nancy argued. "We don't know what they might be planning."

They all looked at each other and nodded. They were all licensed to carry weapons and Nancy knew the other two had their guns just as she did. They rarely needed them, but it was important they were able to protect themselves if the need arose. It was settled. They were going in.

The first building appeared to have been a movie theater in a former life. Nancy imagined that it had been quite charming at one time, but the chipped paint and layers of grime hid all that was left of its original façade.

"Over here!" Frank called from the side of the building. What had likely been a service entrance when the place was functional had been easy for him to open. He held up a finger to his lips signaling for them to be quiet. Joe and Nancy nodded, guns out, as he slowly pulled open the door.

The room was empty except for several boxes of movie memorabilia and a disgustingly thick layer of dust. They quickly went through sweeping each room before Nancy stopped suddenly. "Shhh...listen," she whispered. Coming from what appeared to be a small broom closet was a very faint, but unmistakable whimpering sound. Nancy opened the door slowly to reveal a young woman on the floor, her legs bound and mouth gagged. Visibly shaking, Nancy could see the fear in her eyes as she knelt down beside her.

"Cara?" she said soothingly. "It's okay. My name is Nancy Drew and we are here to help."

**Please let me know what you think! :)**


	10. Chapter 9

**Thank you for reading and reviewing! Hope you're enjoying the story.**

**Chapter 9**

Nancy freed Cara from all of her restraints and helped her sit up. The poor girl was trembling as Nancy removed her jacket and wrapped it around her. "It's okay. You're safe now," she said trying to sound reassuring.

She watched Cara carefully looking for signs of injury or distress. "Are you hurt?" she asked finally.

Cara shook her head still trembling. She didn't appear to be harmed. _"At least on the outside,"_ Nancy thought angrily.

"The police are here," Frank said gently as Chief Collig and two other officers entered the room.

"We've got officers tearing this street apart," the chief promised, "but it looks like they are long gone."

Hearing sirens outside, the chief continued. "The ambulance is here. They will take Cara to be checked out and then we will need to speak with her. Her parents will meet her at the hospital."

"I'm going with her," Nancy said firmly. Chief Collig just nodded. She seemed to trust Nancy and it would be best for her not to be alone until she could be reunited with her parents.

Turning to Frank, Nancy smiled grimly. "I'll meet you guys at the hospital."

"We'll follow you," Frank agreed.

* * *

><p>The paramedics arrived and helped Cara to the waiting ambulance where Nancy climbed in after her. As they started to pull away, she spoke for the first time since they had discovered her in the abandoned building. "It was him," she whispered.<p>

"Who?" Nancy prompted. "Mr. Wiggins?"

Cara nodded in agreement. "I trusted him," she said softly.

Nancy put her arm around the younger woman. She looked much younger than her 18 years and Nancy immediately felt protective. "We'll find him," she said confidently. "You don't have to worry about him anymore."

Nancy knew that time was of the essence in a situation like this, but she also knew that Cara would be questioned relentlessly in the coming days. As curious as she was, Nancy felt it was more important to help put the girl at ease. She had been through quite an ordeal and it wouldn't help to pressure her now.

Sure enough, as soon as they arrived at the hospital, Cara was whisked away. As she saw the officers enter the room, she sighed. "At least her parents are with her," she murmured not hearing Frank and Joe walk up behind her.

Frank put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "She'll be okay."

"I hope so," Nancy whispered still watching the closed door to Cara's hospital room.

* * *

><p>Much to Nancy's annoyance, the police would not allow them to see Cara anymore until they concluded their own investigation. Not knowing what else to do, the three detectives finally returned to the office to catch Fenton up on the latest developments. Con Riley had promised to keep them apprised of the situation, but Nancy felt so helpless. They really needed to speak to Cara.<p>

"We finally find Cara, and don't get me wrong I am thrilled, but I feel like we are no closer to solving the case," she said frowning frustratingly.

"Well, it's clear they wanted us to find her," Frank agreed, "but why? There was no ransom note. We weren't really any closer to finding them. Why now?"

"That's a good question," Nancy muttered as she paced back and forth across the room. "Cara said Mr. Wiggins was the one who did this to her. Why don't we have anything on him yet? He worked for the school and we don't even have a PICTURE of him?" She was practically shouting at this point. "How is this even possible?"

"He had only been working there a few months," Frank said calmly. "And everything he did give them was faked- very well I might add." He watched Nancy as she became more and more exasperated. He was getting worried about her. He knew this was a frustrating case, but it was unlike her to get so emotionally involved.

"Something will turn up, Nance," Joe said reasonably. "The important thing is Cara's safe. Hopefully she can shed some light on what is going on."

"Yes, Cara's safe," Nancy agreed. "But the people who did this are still out there and we are all just sitting here doing NOTHING!" She was definitely yelling now.

Fenton, Joe, and Frank shared a concerned look. This was definitely not the calm, levelheaded Nancy they knew.

"C'mon, Nan," Frank said putting his arm around her. "Let's go for a walk and clear our heads."

* * *

><p>Nancy had followed Frank reluctantly, but was relieved to be out in the fresh air. They had walked for several minutes in silence before she finally turned to him and sighed. "I'm sorry."<p>

Frank took her hand, "You don't have to apologize," he said gently. "I'm just worried about you, Nan. This isn't like you. What's going on?"

Tears welled in her eyes as they continued walking, hand in hand, until finally she was able to speak. "I guess I just feel like I have been on an emotional roller coaster the past several months. It wasn't that long ago that I thought I had everything figured out. And while I appreciate all your family has done for me, I still don't have a real plan. I can't keep mooching off your parents forever."

Frank started to speak, but Nancy stopped him. "No, I know what you are going to say, but I do have some things to figure out. Not being able to find the ones responsible for kidnapping Cara just added to my frustration. We all know how I like to be in control." She laughed aloud thinking just how true that was.

Frank pulled her into a slow hug. He wanted so badly to fix it for her and tell her everything was going to be okay. But this was Nancy and he knew that she needed to do this herself. He held her tighter and his lips brushed against her hair as he whispered, "When you figure it out, Drew, I'll be here."

* * *

><p>They made their way back to the office in companionable silence. Nancy was feeling better. She knew it was more than the fresh air. Frank definitely had a calming effect on her. Still, it was true that she had some big decisions to make and she needed to make them with a clear head. That meant not under the dizzying influence of Frank Hardy's smile, she thought wryly.<p>

"There you are!" Joe exclaimed bringing her abruptly out of her thoughts.

"Yes, look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted before…" she began, feeling rather embarrassed at her earlier behavior.

"Yeah, yeah, never mind that," Joe interrupted. "Cara is refusing to talk to police," he continued excitedly. "She says she will only talk to Nancy!"

"Me?" Nancy looked surprised. "Why me? What about her parents?"

"Apparently she trusts you," Fenton shrugged. "It's true. She is refusing to talk to anyone else."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Nancy said eagerly. "Let's get to the hospital!"

**Sooo, what do you think? Let me know! :)**


	11. Chapter 10

**NOTES: This chapter is a little heavier than the others I have written. Nothing too graphic, but important for moving the story forward.**

**As always, thank you to all those who take time to review. **

**Chapter 10**

Nancy and the others made it to the hospital in record time. Chief Collig met them at the door to her room. "This is very unorthodox," he frowned, "but she insists that she can trust no one but Miss Drew."

"Can I see her now?" Nancy asked impatiently. Enough time had been wasted. If Cara trusted her, she would not let her down.

"Yes," the Chief replied, "but we would like you to try to convince her to at least talk to our sketch artist while everything is still fresh in her mind. I am hoping we can get a better idea of what we're looking for with Mr. Wiggins."

Nancy nodded her agreement. "I'll see what I can do." She nodded to Frank and Joe as she slowly pushed open the door.

The room was very warm and yet Cara was still wrapped snuggly under several blankets. Nancy knew she was only being held overnight as a precaution and suspected the blankets were more an added sense of security than a real necessity against the cold.

"Cara," Nancy said softly. "I'm Nancy Drew. Do you remember me?"

"You're the one who found me," she said sitting up as much as she could in the reclined hospital bed.

"Yes," Nancy nodded in agreement. "I want very much to help you," she said gently as she pulled a chair over to her bedside.

Cara let out a deep breath and dropped her head back against her pillow. "That's what everyone keeps saying. I'm here. I'm fine."

"Everyone is just so happy you are safe, Cara. You gave us all quite a fright. They are trying to be supportive."

"I know," she sighed letting her head fall back on the pillow behind her.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Nancy didn't want to push, but they really did need answers.

"I don't even know exactly," Cara began slowly. "It happened so fast. I was having a really hard time this year. There was so much pressure applying to colleges- my parents were really pushing me to get into a good school. It was taking a toll on me. Had the opposite effect really. My grades were suffering, I guess you could say I started rebelling."

"David, err, Mr. Wiggins was a new teacher at school. He seemed to notice what was going on and offered to sponsor me for an independent study. I thought it would be a good break from my other classes so I took him up on it. That's where I met Beth. She seemed so shy and nice." Cara looked up sadly. "I really enjoyed talking to her."

"What happened next?" Nancy asked not unsympathetically.

A dark look crossed Cara's face. "This is why I wanted to talk to you. I can't tell my parents about this. They would be…." She paused for a moment before looking over to Nancy sadly as she fought off tears. "…so disappointed."

"Your parents love you," Nancy said kindly. "I'm sure whatever it is-"

"NO!" Cara interrupted forcefully. "I can't." She was definitely near tears now.

Nancy took the girl's trembling hand. "Ssshhh, it's okay," she soothed. "Why not start by telling me?"

"I was lonely," she said trying to regain her composure. "I had friends, even boyfriends, but it was high school...it felt… superficial."

Nancy squeezed her hand gently urging her to continue.

"Mr. Wiggins showed me a lot of attention. Beth, she would say things, like how he liked me or was flirting with me. I started to believe her."

Cara took a deep breath before continuing. "I started sneaking around trying to see him in between classes. One night I met him in the gym after a football game. That's when he kissed me for the first time."

Nancy didn't look surprised. She had more or less been expecting something like this the whole time, but it was still shocking to hear it firsthand. "Cara, he was your _teacher," _she tried to emphasize. "He has a professional responsibility not to-"

"Stop!" Cara yelled interrupting Nancy mid-sentence. "Just stop," she said more quietly. "I knew what I was doing. I wanted him to do it."

"Still," Nancy began.

Cara shook her head vehemently. "We can talk about that later. If I don't continue I'm afraid I'll lose my nerve."

Nancy nodded, resigned to let it go. The last thing she wanted was for Cara not to finish.

"He convinced me to meet him after school the next day. I considered not going, but I had a fight with my Mom that night. I was mad," she said looking embarrassed.

"Where did you meet?" Nancy asked trying to pin down anything that might be important later.

"It was weird. He kept insisting we meet all the way in Crayton. At this bar downtown…the Silver Fox? I thought at first it was so nobody would see us, but then Beth was there."

Nancy looked surprised. "You went to The Silver Fox?"

"Yes, it was early afternoon, they didn't card me or anything. I wore a baseball cap in case anyone recognized me."

"Then what?" Nancy urged.

"Well, he was there with Beth. That's when I first thought it was odd. It was one thing for us to be doing what we were doing, but why let Beth know about it? I told him I thought it was a bad idea. That's when things changed. He wasn't nice anymore. Beth got angry and practically dragged me out of the restaurant. They forced me into the car. I tried to escape, but I think…I think they drugged me."

Tears were streaming down Cara's face now and Nancy could feel her blood boiling. Eighteen years old or not, these two adults had clearly taken advantage of a young girl and Nancy intended to make them pay.

Nancy stood up and made room to sit down on the hospital bed. She pulled Cara in for a hug and tried to sound as reassuring as possible. "It's going to be alright," she said soothingly. "We're going to find them."

"I… know…" Cara choked out in between sobs.

Nancy continued holding her tight for several minutes. She rubbed her back trying to help her calm down. When she seemed to be calming a little, Nancy let go and looked at her seriously.

"Cara, if you can, I really need you to continue. It is so important that we know everything if we are going to find them."

Cara nodded while taking a deep breath and eventually started again.

"When I came to I was in a basement somewhere. They had me tied up," she said through the tears.

"Did they tell you anything?" Nancy asked as she handed her a box of tissues.

Cara shook her head trying to regain her composure. "Not that made any sense. They would bring me food and water once and awhile and kept calling me the spoiled little rich girl. Other than that they really didn't talk to me at all."

"I overheard enough to know that they were together. Beth and David. They were obviously a couple," she said quietly.

"Did you hear anything else? Even if it seems insignificant it could be important."

"Before you found me, they were arguing. Beth was mad about something. I thought she mentioned her aunt. I didn't understand more than that. I was so scared." she said apologetically the tears returning to her eyes.

Feeling they had exhausted any clues they were going to get today, Nancy brought the girl in for a hug rubbing her back in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. "Don't worry. They aren't here. They can't hurt you."

"It's not that," Cara said pulling away, her face full of heartbreak. "I was in love with him."

* * *

><p>Nancy stayed with Cara until she fell asleep. She quietly exited the room to find Frank, Joe, and Chief Collig waiting for her in the hallway.<p>

"I know you heard the whole thing," Nancy said sarcastically, "so how about spare me the ruthless interrogation?"

Chief Collig cleared his throat. "Um, thank you for getting her to open up, Miss Drew. We'll be looking into what she told you. I'll send in the sketch artist as soon as she wakes."

Nancy simply nodded and headed over to plop down in one of the waiting area chairs. Frank and Joe followed her over watching questioningly.

"I'm just tired," she explained smiling meekly. "Emotionally drained I guess would be a better way of putting it. She's going to be okay though."

"Poor Cara," Joe agreed. "She has been through a lot. Thank God she's safe."

Frank gestured down the hall where the Chief was talking to Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs. "They are probably going to want to talk to you."

"I know," Nancy sighed. "But it's not really my place. Cara's an adult. She needs to be the one to talk to them. I think she will. She just needs a little time." She stood up slowly and begrudgingly started to make her way over to Cara's anxious parents. "I'll at least try and ease their minds a little."

"And after this," she said turning around and staring at the two brothers pointedly, "you two are buying me dinner."

**Alright, what do you think? Thanks for taking the time to let me know. :)**


	12. Chapter 11

**Notes: Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate all of them.**

**I wasn't going to post again quite yet, but I know some of you have been looking forward to this so... I hope it doesn't disappoint. **

**Chapter 11**

A short time later they were sitting at the restaurant when Joe's phone rang. "What's that, Van? You need me to come over right away? Well, I was _going_ to have dinner with Nancy and Frank. No, no, it's okay. I'll be right there."

"Sorry, guys!" Joe shrugged. "Looks like it's going to be just the two of you."

"Subtle," Frank muttered glaring at his brother.

"Why Frank, I have no idea what you are talking about," Joe said dramatically as he rose to leave. "You two kids behave now!" he laughed and before either of them had a chance to respond he was gone.

"Sorry, Nan," Frank said apologetically. "Subtlety is not really in Joe's vocabulary."

"It's okay," Nancy laughed. "I don't mind having dinner with just you," she added shyly.

Frank grinned. He didn't mind so much either.

* * *

><p>It was a nice night, so at Nancy's suggestion they decided to take a walk down by the water after dinner. They had been walking quietly for several minutes before Frank broke the silence. "You were amazing today," he said admiringly.<p>

Nancy sighed. "I didn't feel very amazing," she admitted. "But hopefully in some small way I was able to give her comfort."

"You did," he assured her. "And you were. You are. Amazing, I mean." Even in the dark Nancy could see his cheeks flush ever so slightly as he stumbled over his words.

"Nancy," he began again. "I'm really glad you are here."

"Me too," she smiled. "This is what I needed. Solving cases with the Hardy Boys again. It has been too long."

"That's not what I mean. Working together has been great, but I mean aside from that. This," he said gesturing around to try and show her what he meant. "Eating dinner with you, taking walks with you, hanging out with you. I like it."

"Me too," she said softly feeling her pulse begin to quicken. _Where was he going with this?_

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want you to go!" he blurted out suddenly.

"No?" she raised an eyebrow.

"No! God, Nancy, I think about you all the time!" Frank rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "From the moment I found out you weren't with Ned…I don't know. I broke up with Callie." He looked shock for a moment and then continued. "I broke up with Callie and I'm not even sad! Should I be? Probably. But I'm not. All I can think about is that you are here. In Bayport. And I want nothing more than to-"

Nancy watched him in a mix of amusement and disbelief. He was pacing around almost maniacally in a way so uncharacteristic of Frank that she couldn't help but laugh.

Frank looked startled. "What?" he asked, momentarily forgetting what he had just been saying.

"You're ranting, Hardy," she said smiling.

A look of realization crossed his face. "Sorry," he said blushing with embarrassment.

"Don't be," she said gently, her heart pounding as she walked over to stand in front of him. "You want nothing more than to what?" she said looking up straight into his eyes challenging him to continue.

Suddenly, he was kissing her. Slowly at first and then more urgently as he realized she was responding to him. Nancy felt like every nerve ending in her body had been set afire. All the stress and tension of the past few months melted away as they poured everything into the kiss. Completely lost in the moment, it was several minutes before either of them attempted to come up for air.

Reluctantly coming back to reality, Frank stared down at her, his eyes burning with an intensity Nancy had never seen before. "Um…that?' he said smiling sheepishly.

"Wow," she whispered, kissing him again, gently this time.

Frank grinned. "Wow," he agreed. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."

Nancy laughed. "Oh, I think I have some idea. So…um, now what?"

"Now," Frank said pulling her close, "we go find Joe and buy him a present."

* * *

><p>Frank and Nancy were first to the office the next morning. It was early and they had been out late the night before, but neither seemed to notice the lack of sleep. Frank was leaning against Nancy's desk when Joe came straggling in with a grumpy expression on his face.<p>

"What the heck, Frank? You can't even wait for me to get out of the shower? I know you love work and all, but geez, dude." Frank and Nancy shared a look as Joe continued his rant, oblivious to everyone else in the room.

Finally stopping to catch his breath, Joe looked at them for the first time. "Well, big brother? What do you have to say for yourself?" Frank just shook his head. "Don't be so dramatic, Joe," he grinned as he walked back over to his own desk.

"What's going on? Why are you acting so strange?" Joe stared bemusedly from Frank to Nancy. "Oh. _Oooooh,"_ his eyes growing wide. "You're welcome," he smirked.

"For what?" Fenton said entering the office with a cup of coffee in his hand. He was surprised to see they had all beaten him to work this morning. Usually he was the first one to arrive.

"Frank and Nancy-" Joe began with an amused expression on his face.

"-were just about to return a call from Con Riley," Frank said shooting a look at his younger brother warning him not to say anything. He knew everyone would know about him and Nancy soon enough, but there was no point in advertising it when they hadn't even had a chance to discuss it themselves.

"Great timing then," his father said cheerfully. "Why don't you go ahead and give him a call, Frank, while I check my messages?"

With his father and brother both on the phone, Joe turned his attention to Nancy. "Sooo…good night?" he asked playfully.

"As a matter of fact," Nancy smiled, "it was a great night."

"Oh, is that so?" Joe teased. "Who knew Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sensible had it in him?"

"Oh, stop it," Nancy said laughing, swatting him on the head. "Nothing like that."

"Suuure," Joe winked. "So is this where I ask about your intentions? Warn you that if you hurt my brother I hurt you?"

"It's new, Joe," Nancy shrugged. "We haven't even had a chance to talk about it ourselves yet."

"Right. New." Joe said rolling his eyes. "It's not like this has been years in the making or anything."

"Joe!" she warned.

"Okay, okay," he said holding his hands up. "I'll back off, but it won't be so easy when Van finds out. She'd make the Spanish Inquisition look tame."

"I'll take my chances," Nancy said dryly.

Frank hung up the phone then, drawing their attention back to the case at hand.

"What?" Nancy asked curiously. The look on Frank's face told her there had been a new development.

"The police were able to put together a sketch of Mr. Wiggins based on Cara's description. Between that and the help from the people at the school they think it is a pretty accurate depiction."

"Did they show it to the Jacobses?" Joe asked eagerly.

"Oh, yes," Frank said excitedly. "Mr. Jacobs recognized him almost immediately. But not as David Wiggins."

"Who?" Nancy urged. They were all on the edge of their seats now.

"His name is Ben Heyward. And he is Jim Carson's illegitimate son."

**Sooo? Thoughts? :)**


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes: Thank you to those of you who are still with me! :)**

**Chapter 12**

"What?" Fenton, Joe, and Nancy cried out in unison.

"David Wiggins/Ben Heyward is Jim Carson's son," Frank repeated allowing the revelation to sink in.

Joe looked confused. "Why would Mr. Carson's son kidnap his partner's daughter?"

"That _is_ the question," Frank said grimly. "Apparently, Ben Heyward is his son from a brief relationship years ago. Mr. Carson met his wife shortly after and did not have a big role in Ben's life aside from financially until about six years ago. Ben came to him saying he needed money. Mr. Carson refused to just give him a handout, but arranged for him to work at his firm. That's where he met Mr. Jacobs," Frank explained.

"So what went wrong?" Nancy asked suspiciously.

"Con didn't go into all the details on the phone, but I think it would be best to talk to Mr. Carson about this in person anyway," Frank said reasonably.

"And Mr. Jacobs," Joe added.

"Yes, it would be best if we can talk to both of them as soon as possible," Fenton agreed. "Let's split up. Nancy, why don't you come with me to see Mike and the boys can go see Mr. Carson?"

Joe snorted. "Yes, why don't you come with me, big brother?" he said innocently. "I know you've missed me and I'm sure Nancy could use some time to get to know Dad a little better," Joe teased as he practically dragged Frank out of the room.

Nancy laughed as Fenton looked after his sons in bewilderment. "That was strange," he muttered shaking his head.

* * *

><p>"Soooo…what's new?" Joe began knowingly, not even waiting for Frank to start the car. His father couldn't have planned it any more perfectly. He had been dying to get Frank alone since the second he found out something had happened between him and Nancy.<p>

"Well, it looks like we've had a pretty major development in our case," Frank said wryly. He knew exactly what new things Joe was referring to, but enjoyed stringing him along.

"Not what I meant," Joe said rolling his eyes. "C'mon spill, what happened?" He knew Frank had wanted this for years even if he hadn't been able to admit it to himself.

"_That," _Frank said pointedly, "is between me and Nancy."

Joe made a face. "Ew, no! I didn't mean I wanted details," he said shaking his head as if trying to rid his brain of some mental image. "But are you together or not?"

Frank grinned. "Yeah," he said happily. "I guess we are." It was true, but he could hardly believe it. He had dreamed of being with Nancy for so long that he had to keep pinching himself to make sure he was awake.

Joe took one look at the foolish expression on Frank's face and knew his brother had it bad. Settling back into his seat he smirked, "Well, it's about damn time."

* * *

><p>Jim Carson was waiting for them in the lobby of the office building when they arrived. He was a tall man, clearly in excellent shape for his age, which was probably quite a bit past when most people would have retired. From the look of it, he was also exhausted.<p>

"I have already talked to the police, but I just feel so responsible for what has happened to Cara," he said as he shook the brothers' hands and introductions were made. "The Jacobs are family to me. Anything I can do to help…" He shook his head sadly.

"Why don't you start by telling us what you can about Ben?" Frank said as they made their way into his office to sit down.

Taking a seat, Mr. Carson began his story. "I was fresh out of college and had just moved to the city for a new job with a big shot law firm. I thought I was invincible back then, let me tell you. On top of the world." He paused for a moment, his eyes distant as if he was someplace a million miles away. "Becky worked at the same firm. It was an intense, whirlwind courtship. Fell apart even faster. By the time she discovered she was pregnant, we had already ended our relationship."

Seeming to return to the present, he continued. "She didn't want me to have anything to do with her or the baby. I was young and immature, so I relented."

"But you provided for them financially?" Frank prompted. It seemed obvious that despite everything that had happened, Mr. Carson still cared a great deal for what would have been his first family.

"Not at first," he said sighing. "But it was not for a lack of trying. I couldn't find them for some time. Once I was able to track them down, it still took some convincing for her to let me help."

"Did you have a relationship with Ben at that point?" Joe asked curiously.

"No," he said, clearly pained. "That didn't come until much later." He smiled sadly. "Becky…she was very bright… beautiful…an amazing woman. But, she had her demons. She could be extremely irrational."

"I met my wife shortly after our relationship ended," he continued. "Becky could not stand the thought of Ben having another woman in his life. Or in all honesty, I don't think she could stand the thought of sharing him with me either. He was her whole world."

"Mr. Carson, where is Becky now?" Joe asked not unkindly. He could tell these were difficult memories for the man to recall.

He didn't speak again for what seemed like several minutes. The only sound was the faint hum of the electronic devices in the room.

"Gone," he said, his eyes full of emotion. "She committed suicide six years ago."

* * *

><p>After this revelation, Frank and Joe had excused themselves under the pretense of needing to make a call. They wanted to allow Mr. Carson a chance to regain his composure. "I know we are supposed to remain impartial," Joe said once they were out in the hallway, "but I don't see how this guy could have known anything about Cara's disappearance."<p>

"Agreed," Frank said thoughtfully, "but hopefully he can tell us something that will help us find his son."

Joe nodded solemnly. The emotional turn of this conversation was making him uncomfortable. Give him the action and danger any day, but he didn't do well with the heavy stuff. He knew firsthand what it was like to lose someone you loved.

Frank studied his brother carefully. He knew he should probably take the lead on any further questioning. "C'mon," he said gesturing towards the door with his head, "let's go find out more about Ben Heyward's history."

* * *

><p>"Sorry about that," Frank said as they returned to their seats in the office.<p>

"Not at all," Jim Carson said casting the brothers a grateful look. "I suppose we should just pick up where we left off."

They waited silently for the older man to finish his story. After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he continued. "I knew from what little information Becky had given me over the years that Ben had been in and out of trouble since high school. After Becky's death, he came to me. It was the first time I had seen him other than a few pictures here and there. I wasn't sure he had even known anything about me."

"It became pretty apparent early on that he wanted money. I wanted to help him, but not by giving him a handout, so I offered him a job." He looked up smiling, "I thought if he worked for me, you see, it would give me a chance to help him and get to know him a little bit at the same time."

"At the time, Mike and I were involved in a lot larger dealings that we are now. We trained Ben, even paying for him to go back to school for a while. He did really well, thrived even. So much so we started giving him more responsibilities. He started working on a new project. A pretty significant one."

"What project was that?" Frank asked curiously although he had a hunch he knew what the answer would be.

"We were helping develop a new shopping center over in Crayton," gesturing in the general direction of the neighboring town. "Ben was overseeing the entire process."

**Thanks again for reading and reviewing! :)**


End file.
